Delegations from Sunni and Shia Islam, and Roman Catholic and Anglican churches gathered in the Iranian capital Tehran on Sunday for the 4th Christian-Muslim summit, reports the Anglican Communion News Service. The summit finishes on 9th November. Afterwards, delegates will visit the Muslim pilgrimage cities of Qom and Isfahan.

The international leaders are sharing ideas around this year’s theme of Respect for human dignity: the foundation for peace and security.

“Given the rise of violence throughout the world by those who claim to be acting in the name of religion, this theme is particularly important,” said a member of the Anglican delegation.

The summits began when former Iranian president Muhammad Khatami spoke at Washington National Cathedral in the US in 2007 when he called for a gathering of religious and cultural leaders from Eastern and Western perspectives. Washington hosted the first summit in 2010 with subsequent summits in Beirut in 2012 and Rome in 2014.